NYT Daily • July 30, 2025
Writes off over time
Answer:
AMORTIZES
Hint:
["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue **\"Writes off over time\"** (answer: **AMORTIZES**):\n\n*\"Accounting term for gradually reducing debt, like a loan.\"*\n\nThis hint:\n- Narrows the focus to financial/accounting terminology.\n- Suggests a process involving debt or assets.\n- Avoids repeating the original clue while guiding toward the concept of amortization."]
Explanation:
The clue **"Writes off over time"** leads to the answer **"AMORTIZES"** through a combination of definition and wordplay. - **Definition:** "Writes off" refers to the accounting term for gradually reducing the value of an asset or debt over time, which is the meaning of **"amortizes."** - **Wordplay:** The phrase **"over time"** hints at the gradual nature of amortization, reinforcing the definition. Thus, the clue cleverly combines a financial term with a temporal hint to point to the answer.